2 Project ContextPiping Plover (Charadrius melodus melodus) is a small shorebird endemic to North America and Listed as Endangered by COSEWIC since 1985Recovery across all regions is threatened by habitat loss and degradation, human disturbance (e.g. recreation on beaches) and predationExtensive monitoring of productivity and predation events in National ParksUntil now, predator identification has been mainly anecdotal and difficult to confirm indefinitelyRecent studies suggest a link between the use of a predator management tool (nest exclosure), nest abandonment and predation

4 Project OverviewConducting field work in Kouchibouguac and PEI National Parks during 2010 and 2011Piping Plover breeding season begins late April and the adults and fledged chicks migrate south from mid-July until late AugustField season from May 1st until August 30thMajority of work involves searching for nests and observing breeding pairs during nest incubationYear-end productivity is a count of the number of fledglings per breeding pair, making for a long field season

6 Preliminary Results - Identify predatorsNestHours WatchedPredatorCorvid flyCorvid walkGull FlyGull walkFoxCoyoteRaccoonOther (tern, bird)CavS156 21CP762*GR18735 ternGR31222 tern +2 mouseTotal3412 339* This nest was predated the day it was due to hatch, only video identified the predator as a crowA total of ~1200 hours of nest video footage was collected in 2010 in Kouchibouguac and PEI National ParksFrom 340 transcribed hours: 1 predation event, 5 predator sightings, 37 tern disturbancesStill about 678 hours to go through with the help of dedicated volunteers

8 Preliminary Results – Reprod. SuccessA total of 21 nests in 2010 were initiatedOf those, 13 nests hatched, two were abandoned, three were flooded and two were depredatedOne predation event occurred in PEI and was captured on videoTable 1. Reproductive success of Piping Plovers in Kouchibouguac and PEI National Parks during 2010* The ‘half’ values refer to a nest that was flooded, and its re-nest included two eggs that had been flooded; two chicks hatched

9 Preliminary Results – Plover BehaviourIn addition to video data, I am conducting 30 minute focal observations of incubating parents (n = 17 nests 2010)I am recording a measure of alertness, or vigilance, as the number of scans/minute of an incubating adultI also record the number of times a plover is away from a nest and the number of movements it does while incubatingWhen monitoring nesting Piping Plovers, they are literally invisible until they move, it is thought that visual predators cue in on thisTheir level of alertness (vigilance) should vary according to their level of stress or exposure to predators

11 Preliminary Results – Plover BehaviourFig 2. Changes in Piping Plover vigilance during focal observations of one incubating adultVigilance seems to vary with time and sometimes changes in response to the presence of potential predatorsOnly 5 of the n = 17 nests observed changed their behaviour in response to the presence of potential predators

12 Preliminary Results – Exclosure as CueArtificial nest experiment 2011 seasonDo exclosures act as a cue to predators when searching for food (nests)?Determine whether exclosed nests are visited more frequently and by a greater variety of predators than non-exclosed nestsA total of 40 artificial nests, half exclosedWill use motion detection cameras to identify predators and time of ‘predation’ as well as track surveysJune 15th – 30th simultaneously at both field sites

13 What does it all mean?We have confirmed that foxes and crows predate Piping Plover nestsBoth foxes and crows will empty a nest of eggs and carry away eggs one after the other over a period of several minutes to over a few hoursSome predators use nest exclosures to perch onPlovers will elicit anti-predator behaviours towards a large variety of animalsTravel corridor along dune edge, greater risk to these nestsThus far, plover behaviour does not seem to differ between exclosed and unexclosed nestsVigilance varies greatly over time and between individualsSome individuals seem more sensitive (in terms of vigilance) to the presence of predators than others

14 What does it all mean?Nest exclosure design has been modified within ParksPredator survey protocols are being implemented by all plover monitoring groups in 2011Public education and volunteer engagement has been key to continued research and modifying protocolsIncreased sample size and furtherstatistical analyses are required toanswer research questions